GAYS MILLS - Weather watchers are confused. As winter slowly transitions into spring (even though it technically is spring by the calendar) we watch for changes, and they are there, subtle though they be.
We have accumulated almost 7,000 heating degree days by now, which is about what we get every year. Soon we will be measuring cooling degree days and swatting bugs.
The returned robins have experienced two snows and, the theory goes, have one more to go before we can call it true spring. It’s almost too green to do a decent control burn. That window wasn’t open very long this year.
Even as the number of weather-caused school closings have set new records locally, we have dodged some major storms this winter/spring that wreaked even more havoc for others. Knock loudly on wood. In other words, it could have been worse. The weather ‘lottery’ actually went our way several times and hit others hard.
It’s no secret or mystery that climate is becoming more of everything it can be: hotter, dryer, wetter, colder, you name it. The extremes of weather are becoming normal.
Meanwhile, life goes on. We get to control some, but not all, life transitions. Gardeners rejoice as the days get longer and make plans for the gardens of 2019 already thriving in their minds. Farmers, the eternal optimists in our midst are watching the skies, making their plans and working on getting equipment in order and supplies lined up for the impending planting rush.
High school seniors are rapidly approaching the major transition of graduation. Their ‘senioritis’ will soon be cured and major life changes will take place. They will be in charge of their futures and we wish them well. It’s great to see the pictures of the graduating seniors, so young and so full of promise, in this paper. It’s wonderful to live in a place where the scale is such that we can all share in their transitions and celebrate with them.
Senior citizens continue to evolve and grow in their lives. The golden years, with all their inherent possibilities, offer opportunities limited only by the imagination. Volunteering, hobbies, travel, reading, learning new skills, socializing, and the time to do such things, keep people young like no magic elixir yet created.
Our villages have already made some major transitions, many due to natural and economic events. They continue to strive to serve the people that choose to call our communities home. Some new businesses indicate growth and evolution; community dinners and events help to stitch together the colorful quilt that is rural living in the Driftless Area.
There are global and national transitions taking place as well. Nations, organizations, and institutions are being challenged to keep up with a society in a state of flux. The built-in systems of checks and balances that were designed to govern the ship(s) of state are slow to correct things in this turbulent time, but we still believe in them.
